


Once I called you Brother

by Kennkirk



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Pre-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Protective Iroh (Avatar), zuko is there sorta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:35:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29078715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kennkirk/pseuds/Kennkirk
Summary: Pre-Avatar, Iroh confronts Ozai. Missing scene that plagued me until I have to write it.
Relationships: Iroh & Ozai (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Once I called you Brother

The midday sun peered through the open windows of the infirmary. Iroh kept his eyes closed as he sat like stone listening to the soft rasping of the boy asleep beside him. The cup of cold tea in his hands rippled. Iroh looked up at the man who had the audacity to come here.

“Brother.”

Iroh didn’t dignify that with a response. A smirk crawled over Ozai’s face. He sat down on the edge of the bed. The tea in Iroh’s hands began to steam.

“What can I do for you Firelord Ozai?”

“Is this how you greet your little brother?” Ozai raised an eyebrow.

Iroh pulled his eyes away from Ozai he felt the fire within his roiling deep within his breath.

Ozai smile slipped off as easily as it had come. “What are you doing here? You demine yourself.”

“I have always liked the gardens from this angle.” The drink scalded Iroh’s tongue, “Best in all of the palace.”

Iroh hear Ozai suck a breath in through his teeth. Iroh could barely withhold his own grin at the thought of the fury that must have been creeping over Ozai at this moment.

“My great brother,” Ozai mocked, “Look at yourself.”

“I have.” Iroh met his brother’s gaze, “At some length, and I’m afraid I have little use for you.”

The lanterns around the infirmary flickered with a violent burst of flame. Iroh blew the steam off his cup.

“Meaning Iroh?”

Iroh took his time to pin down the words. Beside him he heard Zuko rustled the blankets turning over. Yes, he had to think this through carefully, “I’m far too old for the politics of the Fire nation. I think I am well overdue for a retirement.”

“Certainly.”

“And frankly Ozai,” Ozai’s eyes flashed hot with fury at the slight, “The Fire nation does not need two rulers.”

“You abdicated.”

“Certainly.” Iroh tipped his drink to Ozai taking a long sip. “I believe I will be traveling in my retirement.”

Ozai glanced down at Zuko, “Anywhere in particular?”

“I am not sure.” The words tasted like ash on his tongue.

Ozai glanced back at Iroh and something like understand crept over his face. Iroh felt like his heart has been seized at the expression.

“I will be sure to keep my nephew’s grave clean for you while you are away.”

Iroh closed his eyes breathing deeply at the old ache that never truly would leave.

“Father had thought it a great tragedy.” Ozai said in a light tone, “And now I believe I understand. How it pains me to have to banish my heir.”

Iroh held his tongue the fire under his skin nearly burning him from the inside. Ozai kept the little smile neatly on his face revealing in Iroh’s silence.

“No words brother?” Ozai reached out a squeezed Zuko’s leg. “You always had such clever words.”

“I am not your brother.” Iroh whispered. In the silence of the room, it rattled the walls like the bellows of a command, “I disown you as my family, as my brother.”

The lanterns of the infirmary popped as sparks flew high into the air. The crackle of the fire snapped against the walls

“I have given you chances.” Iroh said, “And I will never give you another. What you have done to Zuko is unforgiveable. You have no idea of the weight of your consequences.”

“That’s what you think?” Ozai said. The grin was back as he glanced down at Zuko, “I have to say brother that everything is going how I meant it to.”

Iroh felt a splash of boiling water against his hands. Flinching he threw the tea onto the ground. Ozai raised an eyebrow. “Go, fat man, go get a bite to eat. You have been here all day.”

Iroh felt the retort on his tongue, pressing against his teeth eager to strike with venom. His hands shook where he still held the empty tea cup aching where they griped the cup. Ozai’s hand was still resting on Zuko. Iroh didn’t dare test those boundaries. “No thank you, I am quite content as I am.”

A startled laugh burst out of Ozai. He finally lifted his hand to rub his face never placing it back down on Zuko. Iroh felt a knot of tension loosen. Ozai stood a malicious grin openly plastered onto his face.

“Keep your watch then, you old guard dog. For all the good it will do you.”

“I intend to.”

Ozai started towards the door. He paused at the massive wooden doors, “Because I was your brother, I’ll give you one last mercy you have no right to.”

Iroh didn’t dare breath he braced for anything.

“You follow the boy, and you will never be allowed back in the Fire nation. No one will stop you from returning, but I promise the moment I hear your back, you’ll not wake up the next morning.”

Ozai eyes slipped over to Zuko a sneer crawling over his face, “Make sure he doesn’t come back.”

“You saw to that well enough yourself.”

Ozai’s lip curled. The lanterns flickered again violently. Iroh’s heart leapt into his throat and he felt his chi flood into his hands and feet. Perched on the edge of his chair he waited for Ozai in a breathless moment.

At last, the man turned and stalked out of the infirmary; the doors rattled viciously on their hinges behind him.

The worry leached out of Iroh, he felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest. As quietly as he could he shuffled his chair closer to Zuko’s bedside brushing the long dark locks out of his nephew’s face. He carefully kept his hand away from the thick padded bandage on Zuko’s face.

Leaning back in his chair he hummed softly to himself watching the shadows dance across the floor of the infirmary. His heart ached deeply inside him. If he were to try and fire bend at the moment, he was certain nothing would have come from the whirl that swung through him leaving him slumped in his chair and exhausted.

Zuko took a deep breath rolling back over, then over again.

Iroh brushed the tears away as one, only one, golden eye blinked open, “Uncle?”

_I’ve made a thousand mistakes, but I won’t do that to you. I won’t give up on you, nephew. I promise._

"Good morning Prince Zuko" Iroh plastered a smile on his face. "Or should I say afternoon?"


End file.
